Liquid dispenser



April 5, 1938. w. GRQSS 2,113,048

LIQUID DISPENSER Filed May 14, 1936 INVENTOR Walter Gross BY vnnw- 'c @07/ ATTORN EYS Patented Apr. 5, 1938 UNITED sTATss PATENT OFFICE uqmn nrsrcssns Walter Gross, Lakewood, Ohio Application May 14, 19st, No. 19,141

1 Glaims.- (01. 215-15) This invention relates to liquid dispensers for attachment to bottles and such containers, and particularly to devices of this character having means for sealing the opening when in a non 5 dispensing position.

An object of this invention is to provide a device of this character having a liquid discharge tube and an air vent tube, and provided with a valve means for sealing both the discharge tube 10 and-vent tube when the container is in an upright position.

Another object is to provide such a device having an air vent tube, which, although not extended to the discharge spout of the device, is

15 adapted to provide a passagefor air through the liquid in the container. A still further object is to provide a device of the character described which is attractive in appearance, simple in construction, which may '20 be readily disassembled, and which can be inex- Fig. 3'is an enlarged section on the line 3-3 Fig- 2; Fig. Qisan enlarged section on the line 4-1 of Fig. 2; and i Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on line 5-5 of Fig. 2- A stopper ll of a suitable material, such as cork, comprises the body portion of the device. It is centrally apertured to receive a liquid conducting tube which has a portion l2 extending above the stopper and may be provided with a flange l3, which seats against the stopper. A pouring tube I4 has one end l5 telescopically and frictionally engaging the extended portion H of the liquid tube as shown in Fig. 1. If desired, it may have a disk-like flange l6 carried by this same end to seat against the flange I3 of, the liquid tube, and the edges ll of the disk It may 45 be bent over to provide a snap fit with the flange i3, so as to prevent the pouring tube from becoming disengaged from the. liquid conducting tube as shown in Fig. 2. The opposite end of the pouring tube is formed into a suitable spout iii.

A ball I! is positioned within the pouring tube and is free to move therein. This ball is of slight- 23. As shown in Pig. 1, when the ball is ispositioned in the recess or pocket 2| the pouring tube It and. liquid tube ll form a continuous and unobstructed passage for the flow of liquid 22 out of the container 23. ,1

A pin 24, or any other suitable means, is positioned transversely of the passage in the pouring tube It to retainthe ball IO. 'As shown in Fig. 3, it is preferable that the pin 24 be arcuateLv curved upwards, so that the liquid from-the container will have an unobstructed area through which to flow.

An air vent tube 21 is positioned within the liquid tube ll, one end extending a substantial distance into the container 23 and the opposite end 2 9 terminating just short of the end 20 of the liquid tube ll, so that when the ball I! is seated against the end" of the liquid tube l I there will be a slight clearance 30 between the ball I! and the air tube 21. Y

One side of the end-2! of the air tube 21 is cut ofi to provide a beveled or chamfered portion 3 I, so that the end 23 is separated from the wall of the liquid tube II by a space 32.

As shown in Fig. 4, the cross-sectional area of the liquid tube H available for the flow of liquid such air reaches the end l2 of the liquid tube, the

cross-sectional area of which is substantially all occupied by the flowing liquid, it enters the air vent tube 21 and passes freely into the interior of the container 23. By providing the beveled end 3| on the air tube 21 the entrance of the air into the tube 21 is facilitated and the tendency of air to bubble through the liquid flowing through the tube II is substantially prevented.

It will be seen that'the recess 2 l is positioned in the pouring tube ll so that it is adjacent the end 20 of the liquid tube. Thus, the ball l9, which serves as a valve for closing the opening into the container 23 to which the device is applied, has only a short travel from open to closed position.

Since the pouring tube It and liquid tube I I may be disassembled, the device can be readily taken apart for cleaning. Care should be exercised in assembling -the device tosee-that the air tube 21 is on the side of the liquid tube opposite that on which the recess 2| in the pouring ,tube It receive the air flowing through the portion 33 ofthe pouring tube and conduct it into the interior of the container 23.:

ItwillthusbeseenthatIhaveprovidedaliquid dispensing device through which the liquid may be dispensed troma bottle containing the same in a smooth flowing stream, so that it is convenient to pour out a small quantity oi. liquid into a receptacle without spilling any of the liquid. Also, it will be seen that when the bottle containing the liquid is standing in upri ht positiontheballwilleflecttosealthesameandpre-j vent any evaporation of the contents 'of the bottle or loss of flavor or aroma:

Although a single embodiment of the invention has been herein shown and described, it' will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit 01' this invention as defined in the following'claims.

what I claim is:

l. A liquid dispensercomprising an apertured container stopper having a tube therein for the passage of liquid, a pouring tube arranged as a continuation or the liquid tube, an air tube having one end positioned within said liquid tube adjacent the wall thereof, an annular ball receivpensing position to seal both the liquid and air tubes from communication with the atmosphere, and means for retainingthe ball in the dispenser.

2. A liquid dispenser comprising an apertured container stopper having a tube therein ior'the passage of liquid, a pouring tube arranged as a continuation of the liquid tube, an air tube having one end positioned within 'said liquid tube adjacent the wall thereof, an annular ball receiving seat formed on the liquid tube, said seat positioned adjacent, but slightly spaced outwardly from, the end ofuthe air tube, a ball within the pouring tube and having seating engagement with the seat when thedispenser isin a non-dispensing position to seal both the'liqui'd and air tubes from communication with the atmosphere, a recess in the pouring wall of the tube adjacent the seat for receiving the ball when the dispenser is in a dispensing position, whereby the opening in the tube will be'substantially unobstructed, and means for retaining the ball in the dispenser.

3. A liquid dispenser comprising an apertured container stopper having a tube therein for the passage of liquid, an air tube having one end positioned within said liquid tube adjacent the wall thereof, an annular ball receiving seat formed on the liquid tube, said seat positioned adjacent, but slightly spaced outwardly from, the end of the air tube, a ball having seating engagement with the seat when the dispenser is in a non-dispensing position to seal both the liquid and air tubes fromcommunication with the atmosphere, and means -'for retaining the ball in the dispenser, said means comprising an arcuate pin disposed diametrically across the opening in the liquid tube between the pouring end and the ball and having its concave sidedisposed adjacent the normal path of liquid being dispensed.

4. A liquid dispenser comprising an apertured container stopper having a tube therein for the passage of liquid, an air tube having one end positioned within said liquid tube adjacent the wall thereof and 0! substantially less diameter than the liquid tube, said end having a portim normally adjacent the wall of the liquid tube removed to provide a beveled end on the air tube spaced from the wall oi. the liquid tube and an the atmosphere, and means for retaining the ball inthedispenser. I v

5. Aliquiddispenser comprisingastopper for Y a liquid container, said stopper apertured to providean opening for a liquid tube, a liquid tube insaidaperture,apouringtubeassociatedwith one end of the liquid tube to provide a continuous e for the flow of liquid from the container, an air tube positioned within the liquid tube and of greater length than the liquid tube, one end of said'air tube terminating within the liquid tube and short of the end of the liquid tube associa'ted with the pouring tube, a ball retained within the pouring tube and having seating engagement with the end of the liquid tube outwardly from the end oi the air tube disposed within the liquid tube when the dispenser is in a non-pouring position, thereby closing the aperture in the stopper to seal both the liquid and air tubes from communication with the atmosphere.

6. A liquid dispenser for bottles and the like comprising an apertured stopper, a liquid tube in the aperture, a detachable pouring tube enclosing one end of the liquid tube, a ball in the pouring tube, said ball having seating engagement with an annular seat formed on the enclosed end of the liquid tube when the dispenser is in a non-dispensing position, a recess in the wall of the pouring tube adjacent the enclosed end of the liquid tube for receiving the ball when the dispenser is in a dispensing position, whereby the opening through the device for the passage of liquid is substantially unobstructed, an air tube secured within the liquid tube and terminating short of the enclosed end, whereby seating of the ball against the enclosed end is not obstructed and the ball and annular seat cooperate to seal both. the liquid and air tubes, and means for retaining the ball in the pouring tube. 1

7. A liquid dispenser comprising an apertured container stopper, a liquid tube having a portion within said aperture and a portion without said aperture, a collar carried by said tube and overlying an outer portion of the stopper, an air tube substantially longer than said liquid tube and having one end disposed therein and alongone side, a pouring tube enclosing the outer end of the liquid tube and having a circumferential flange seating against said collar, a ball within the pouring tube and having seating engagement with the outer end of the liquid tube when the 'dispenser is in non-dispensing position, a recess in the pouring tube adjacent the outer end of the 

